Drive or Fly: Saint Albans, ME to Scarborough, ME?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

No scheduled commercial flights found for BGR–PWM. At 113 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 18m

Distance

113.4 mi

Total Cost

$60

CO2

46 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$25

Hotel (1 room, 0 nights) $0

Meals (1 pax, 1 day) $35

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Comfortable one-day drive

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

+ Likely faster door-to-door than flying

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 6m

12m in the air

Air Distance

102 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

26 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Albans, ME → BGR 44m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PWM → Scarborough, ME 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Saint Albans, ME BGR — Bangor International Airport 30 mi, ~44m drive

Scarborough, ME PWM — Portland International Jetport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BGR and PWM. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

3h 44m

1h 3m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Downeaster

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Albans, ME → Brunswick Amtrak Station 111m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 63m

Arrival 10m

Old Orchard Beach Amtrak → Scarborough, ME 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

Estimated based on distance. Check amtrak.com for current prices.

Stations

From Brunswick Amtrak Station 74 mi, ~111m drive

To Old Orchard Beach Amtrak 5 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 8 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 18m

2h on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0265s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Albans, ME → Waterville (J & S Oil Co) (WAV6) 43m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 120m

Arrival 10m

City of Portland (PVT6) → Scarborough, ME 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

Estimated based on distance. Check flixbus.com for current prices.

Stations

From WAV6 — Waterville (J & S Oil Co) 28 mi, ~43m drive

To PVT6 — City of Portland 6 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	2h 18m	3h 6m	3h 44m	3h 18m
Total cost (1 person)	$60	$124	$7	$8
Carbon footprint	46 kg CO₂	26 kg CO₂	2 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	Data unavailable

Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices

Flight data: Statistical estimate

Airports: OurAirports

Transit: Amtrak GTFS, FlixBus GTFS — fares estimated

Confidence: Medium — airports identified, fares estimated

Costs are estimates. Actual flight prices vary by airline, date, and booking time. Drive costs based on OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices. Computed Apr 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Saint Albans, ME to Scarborough, ME with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.